Display container



April 1941. M. WEINMAN 2,237,126

DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed Jan. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April M. WEINMAN 2,237,126

DISPLAY CONTAINER I Filed Jan. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 1, 194 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE msrmr CONTAINER Milton Weinman, Chicago, in. Application January 21, 939, Serial No. 252,100 2 Claims. (01. 206 -44) My invention relates to containers particularly adapted for display purposes.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an improved container for display purposes.

Another object is to provide a container adapted for so-called random display of merchandise so arranged that the merchandise may be seen to advantage.

Another object is the provision of a simple,

has been used.

economical and expeditious manner of producing such a container.

Other specific objects and features of the in-- of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing structural features of the assembled container.

According to the general features of the invention, I provide aplural-sided container, all or a number of sides of which are provided with transparent rigidly held inserts so that merchandise on display in the container may be seen from substantially any angle when the container is placed on a counter or other display location in a store. Conveniently and preferably, one side of the container is given over to a placard panel which, however, may also perform the function of assisting in maintaining the container in rigid assembled position. The container is preferably so constructed as to provide a multiple thickness of board such as cardboard at all portions thereof which contain merchandise and which, therefore, may be subjected to strain. The construction is so arranged that only a single glu ing operation is required, although it will be seen that I may utilize other means than gluing for assembly purposes. The manner in which the various parts are brought together is also con- Forconvnience in describing the container of my invention, I shall first refer to the constituent parts'thereof and show the manner in which they are assembled together to produce the final article.

In the form of the invention illustrated, I employ side members It and II, transparent inserts l2, bottom l3 and the auxiliary side'member and placard H. The .side member It comprises the outside of two side members and the member II the inside of two side members, and the inserts i2, in a manner to be shown, may be secured between them.

The side member It has a plurality of sections l6, each of which isprovided with an aperture l1, and at the ends, sections [8, not provided with apertures. 'Along the upper edges of each of the sections it and I8 are relatively narrow individual tabs l9. and similar tabs 2| are provided below. Score lines 22 are provided between each of the sections to facilitate articulation, and, where desired, a larger face may be leftat any of the sections, as, for example, at 23, to leave room for advertising matter or the like.

The side section II is scoredalong the lines 24 to separate it into a plurality of sections, each of which is provided with a window opening", and relatively smaller tabs 21 are provided at the ends. The transparent inserts l2 are of such a size as to cover the openings l1 and 26 provided in the two'slde members. and the relationship of the two side members is' such that the score lines coincide when they are laid one above the other and the sections coincide, leaving the tabs l9 and 2| and the greater portion of the end sections ll uncovered as illustrated in Fig. 5. It will be noted that the side members are of generally arcuate shape so that when they are articulated about the generally vertical scores 22 and 24 they take the form of a side wall which out-flares slightly 5 from top to bottom. This is a preferred arrangement, but it should be understood that these sections may, if desired, be made straight in which case the side walls of the finished container will be substantially truly vertical. v

The bottom '3, in accordance with the preferred form, comprises the sections Ba and I3!) scored along the line 28 so that when it is folded along this line a double thickness bottom member will beprovided fitting into the container in the general manner shown in Figs. 1 and 9. The auxiliary side member and placard ll which may, for convenience, be termed a back member, may

have a score along the line 20 for a purpose to be described, or it may be left unscored, all as will be brought out hereinafter.

I have stated above that an advantage of my invention is the simple manner in which the contamer maybe assembled and I shall, therefore, dmbe t 1 ider my preferred form of assembly, usingthe general structure of parts described hereinabove.

, Th side member II, with no parts ass i t with it, may first be run through a gluing machine of a type known in @e industry, to apply a layer ofglue or other suitable adhesive to one entire side or face thereof. The transparent inserts II are then placed in position as shown by theletter A. in Fig. ll 1' the 1 88 being covered in this manner, the adhesive being wet or tacky at the timeof application. The member II is then set down over the transparent inserts l2 and over the side member ll so that it occupies the position shown in Fig. 5. This secures the two side members II and II together with the inserts II between them; but to complete the assembly and provide for a finished appearance at the top edge of the side member, the tabs I! are folded. over as indicated in Fig. 6, and being covered with adhesive these tabs maintain their folded position.

The assembled side member is then doubled back on itself so that the edges of the end panels ll substantially contact each other. In the phantom view at the right of Fig. 6, the dotted line portion at the right of the view indicates the manner in which the two end panels are brought together, this view being otherwise shown fiat for convenience of illustration. The back member I4 is then placed in position over the inside faces of the end panels ll, leaving the contiguous tabs 2| free. If desired, wire stitching 3| may be employed to facilitate the assembly or any other means may be used which will add strength and hold the parts in assembled relation until the adhesive on the end panels I! has set. A simple expedient is to employ a stitching of the type shown and allow it to remain in place in the finished article as shown in Fig. 1.

The bottom member I! is now folded along the score line 28 and so folded will fit snugly into the lower portion of the container, the edge coinciding with the score line 28 lying against the back member I4 and the edges corresponding to the remaining six sides coinciding with the positions of the panels. By folding all of the tabs 2| at right angles they are caused to lie against the bottom face of the bottom member l3 where they become attached through the setting of the adhesive which was applied to the tabs 2| and thereby complete the assembly.

As an example of the simplicity with which my invention adapts itself to the production of a container having a finished appearance, I wish to consider the production of a design in which a combination of blue and yellow is employed.

Using a cardboard, one face of which is finished relatively smooth and, therefore, will readily receive a printed impression, the open face of the side member ll may be colored blue, with decorative yellow lines running around the panels, for example. In the same printing operation the portion 23 may be printed with suitable legends. The side member ll may have the face thereof which is seen in Fig. 3 printed to show a solid yellow color. Then when the members are assembled in the general manner shown in Fig. 5 there will be no unornamented face of the maping purposes.

terial of the sides visible but only faces which have been treated by a printing operation. Following out the same design, the portion "a of the member l3 may be colored yellow and the portion lib blue. By inserting the member I! so that the blue face is down, the same blue scheme will be carried to the bottom of the completed container and the same generally yellow scheme to the inside of the completed container. The back member ll may be printed with a yellow and blue combination or in any other suitable manner harmonizing with the rest of the container. In the completed container, therefore, as shown in the drawings, the onlyunfinished surface visible is the back face of the member H but this is also relatively simply finished, if desired, either by providing a double thickness thereof following the general plan used for the member I 3 or in any other suitable way. I have found that for the most part an adequately finished appearance is obtainable with substantially the arrangement shown in the drawings.

One advantage of the container of my invention is that a group of them are easily nested for shipping. Where desired, the back member Il may be folded along the score line 29 for ship- A further advantage of my invention is that the construction lends itself to the production of a relatively large number of designs and in all cases the same simple manufacturing practice may be followed. For example, the number of panels or sides in the finished device may be modified, so that different shapes are produced, and even when the number of sides is the same as shown in the drawings, by modifying the dimensions, color schemes, etc., containers having entirely different appearance and utility may be produced.

I have described my invention in considerable detail including details of construction and manufacture but extensive changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims. In the claims and in the foregoing specifications, I have referred to the invention as a display container,

. tending over the top edges of the inner side membut it is clear that it may have other uses. The title, therefore, is used in a descriptive rather than in a limiting sense.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A display container comprising outer and inner side members, each of said members'provided with vertical scores so that when articulated, a plurality of panels is produced, apertures being provided in said panels, said outer side member having tabs above and below said panels andbeing provided with a pair of end panels, inserts of transparent material large enough to cover said apertures, said outer and inner side members being secured together with said inserts between them and said tabs above the panels exber and secured to its inner surface, means for holding ends of the side members in position to form a plurality of side faces, each comprising one of said panels, a bottom member shaped to engage said side members, said tabs below the outer side member being secured to the lower edge surface of said bottom member, said means including a back panel secured in surface-toof, upper and lower tabs on the panels, an inner side member scored to provide a plurality of panels coinciding with panels on the outer side.

posed between said side members and closing said apertures, a back member secured to the end panels of the outer side member in face to face relationship whereby to hold said side members assembled to produce a plurality of sides corresponding to said panels, and a bottom member having said lower tabs secured to the lower edge surface thereof.

MILTON WEINMAN. 

